Two Different Sources of Carpet Beetle Damage in Croydon
Skirting gaps in the borough's older terraces
Fitted carpet laid decades ago in the borough's older terraced houses tends to have gapped slightly at the skirting board over time, and the fluff, hair and debris collecting there is exactly what the larvae feed on. The resulting damage is easy to mistake for carpet moth until a bristly larva actually turns up.
Stored textiles in the town centre's newer flats
In the newer flats around the town centre, a cupboard of packed-away clothing or bedding is the more common starting point rather than the floor itself, particularly natural-fibre items left untouched for a season. Adult beetles usually turn up on a windowsill first, having already fed through the colder months.
Signs to Look For
- Irregular holes in natural-fibre carpets, rugs, clothing or soft furnishings
- Small, bristly larvae ("woolly bears") in carpet edges, cupboards or under furniture
- Tiny shed larval skins gathering in corners or fabric folds
- Adult beetles, a few millimetres long, seen on windowsills in spring
Reducing What Carpet Beetle Larvae Can Feed On
Sealed storage for wool and other natural fibres, plus the occasional vacuum along skirting edges, takes away most of what the larvae need.
